It is known to apply cells for receiving fluids and investigating sample in said fluid with electromagnetic radiation. For instance, a patent to Woollam et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,937,341 that enables simultaneous investigation of a sample in a fluid with two beams of electromagnetic radiation.
A computer search was conducted to identify patents which discuss small fluid cells and ellipsometry, and none were found. However, a patent to Battiston et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,389,679 was identified as it does disclose cell for containing small amounts of fluid. The design of the cell, however, is very different from that of the present invention. In particular fluid entry ports are at a lower extent of the 679 system which means bubbles rise through entered fluid. As disclosed herein, in the Detailed Description Section and Drawings, the present invention system provides for a very different fluid entry configuration.
Need remains for additional small cells for use in investigating fluid samples with electromagnetic radiation, and in particular small cells which provide means for reducing the effect of bubbles caused by entry of the fluid into said small cell.